Whoa… One of Lady GaGa’s former dancers is opening up in regards to the mistreatment he allegedly confronted in his a few years working for the singer – which included a continual damage he was reportedly then bullied for?! OMG!
In three candid Instagram posts out on Saturday, Graham Breitenstein opened up for the primary time about shedding 70% of his listening to in a single ear whereas on tour with the Poker Face icon. And he claims it’s one thing that by no means would’ve occurred within the first place if the tour administration would’ve given him the correct care! He dished:
“When I was on my first tour, which was The Monster Ball, end of 2009 through mid-2011. In the first year, while we were touring in Europe, while I was on stage (I believe I was in Germany or France), I had an experience on stage where my left ear, I just… All of a sudden it sounded like the crowd was in my ear, like, the whole time. Now, we didn’t have in-ears at this time, so it was just raw ears in all these arenas.”
Just take into consideration how loud that should’ve been! It’s wild to suppose the dancers had been pressured to undergo present after present with none ear safety!
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And it sadly allegedly led to Graham’s situation, which he says lasted lengthy after the live performance ended. He stated it felt like “someone’s holding a seashell up to [his] ear.” After talking to administration, he was seen by a physician — or as he known as it, a “rock doc,” whose job was to present artists a fast repair to get again to performing. He was given meds for fluid in his ear, which “cleared” though the “noise” by no means left. He mirrored:
“I started asking if I could see a specialist, and wasn’t given that opportunity for several weeks.”
His good friend Molly finally went to another person in manufacturing for assist — and right now, he was already “having difficulty hearing.” Six weeks from the preliminary damage and now again within the States, the manufacturing supervisor helped get him an appointment with a specialist:
“I found out that I had lost about 70% of hearing in my left ear, and that it was permanent, and that when treated in the first two weeks of the onset that it can be reversed by giving a direct shot of steroids into my ear. But we were six weeks [out] and that it was too late. So, I would have to live the rest of my life with 30% hearing in my left ear. […] To say that I was devastated […] is an understatement.”
Jeez. While that was clearly heartbreaking, issues solely bought worse from there. He defined:
“When I talked to leadership at that time — at that time, we’re talking about Richy Jackson as the assistant choreographer and we’re talking about Laurieann Gibson as the lead choreographer. Now, at this time, Richy and I were like best friends, I considered him a brother, I trusted him with everything. […] I called him and mentioned what was going on, and he told me that he wasn’t gonna tell Laurieann what happened because, if so, I would be fired.”
Since he was simply 24 and new to skilled touring, he “trusted” his good friend (and to today doesn’t suppose Laurieann knew what occurred). He did, nevertheless, handle to get in-ears — though he misplaced his “s**t” when the tour director tried to buy him the “cheapest” choice out there regardless of his damage!
On a break from touring, he was inspired by friends to use for employee’s compensation, which he tried by way of DwellNation, however was instantly denied and “intimidated with like seven lawyers sending letters, making phone calls.”
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Confused that he was denied regardless of having the proof wanted, he known as Richy for recommendation, and was as soon as once more instructed “if you make a big deal out of this, you’re gonna be fired.” WTF. Graham went on:
“So for the remainder of The Monster Ball, Born This Way Ball, Art Pop promo, ArtRave Tour, SuperBowl, Coachella, Joanne, first part of Chormatica (pre-pandemic) I just learned to live with this condition while being teased about not being able to hear all the time, while in rehearsals, while on stage. Happened every single time. Cause we’d wear in-ears. You know, the next tour, we all got in-ears! But when I had my in-ears in, I couldn’t take one out to be able to hear my other cast members on stage, so it was hard for me to be able to communicate with everyone and understand what was going on.”
Despite having a bodily ailment, all of them made enjoyable of him, too, he sadly mirrored:
“What messed up friends make fun of an injury and a life-long condition?”
As for the Grammy winner, he doesn’t suppose she knew:
“GaGa herself was never told — this is my understanding — was never told that this happened. It wasn’t like it was just easy access… It’s not how you’re trained as a professional dancer [to bypass everybody to speak with GaGa].”
But thoughts you, he additionally thought he’d be fired on the spot if he stated something, too!
Flash ahead, his friendship with Richy got here to an “explosive” finish in 2021, ensuing in the long run of his work with GaGa. Soon after, allegations about alleged issues BTS of the Born This Way artist’s tour got here out and her workforce reached out to know his facet of the story. He “relived” six and a half pages of “negative experiences” with the singer’s supervisor (who was not her similar administration workforce again when his damage occurred). But nothing occurred after he shared his fact and he’s not even certain if any of it made it again to the A Star is Born lead, both. Bummer!
That stated, this unlucky expertise “reminded” him of a bit of recommendation his pal — an expert dancer — had given him earlier than he began his dream gig, including:
“She said, ‘the diva’s not your friend.’”
While he didn’t consider it at first, he now seemingly did.
Oof.
Making it clear he didn’t need his movies to come back throughout as only a sob story, Graham famous that an enormous challenge for thus many dancers is that they’re “not protected with unions” and there’s “no HR” or unbiased individual to talk with. He now hopes his story might be a useful resource for others going via related conditions. Hear all of it (under):
Damn. What a horrible scenario!
FWIW, again in July 2022, a number of dancers give up the Chromatica Ball tour attributable to alleged poisonous habits from then-lead choreographer Richy Jackson. Despite the claims, he remained on the workforce. Meanwhile, GaGa’s longtime collaborator and good friend, Terry Richardson, has additionally been accused of sexual assault by a number of ladies. So, there have actually been some shady allegations floating round which have lengthy haunted her orbit…
Reactions, Perezcious readers? Let us know (under).
[Image via Lady GaGa/YouTube & Graham Breitenstein/Instagram]
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